Locomotive arch brick



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LQCOMOTIVE A APPucATloN lfnzn Auma. 1917.

Patented June 27, 1922.

WILLIAM SCI-IUTTLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL ARCI-ICOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

IOCOIVIOTIVE ARCI-I BRICK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paggnggd Jun@ 2*?, 1922 Applicationfiled August 1,8, 1917. Serial No. 186,903.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, `W1LLIAM SCHTTLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain newA and useful Improvements in Locomotive Arch Bricks,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a brick or1 refractory materialintended for use in connection with locomotive tire-boxes tor thepurpose of constituting a nre arch or baille therein. The specific typeof arch to which the present invention relates is known as the two-tubearch, and the center bricks thereof, when assembled, are arranged ininverted V-formation between the water tubes.

The principal object of the present invention is to arrange aninterlocking' connec tion between the abutting edges or the center orV-bricks, which will be flexible in its construction, allowing a secureand eiiicient interlocking connection between these bricks irrespectiveof the possible warped condition of the arch tube or variations in thesize ot the bricks.

A further object of the invention is to arrange this interlockingconnection so that the arch is capable or Vflexing under the inluence otcontraction and expansion or the parts within the lire-box withoutbreakage.

A further object of the invention is to provide an interlockingconnection which will have a substantial surface engagement between theparts forming the connection.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange this interlockingconnection that the parts thereof will not readily become mutilated orbroken in shipping or other handling of the bricks.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange this connection as toeliminate to a great extent the danger of its burning out and allowingthe bricks to fall.

The invention further consists in the teatures ot construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section through a portion of a locomotive fire-box,showing the arch of the present invention in position;

Fig. 2, a plan view of a portion of said box, showing the arch inposition; and

F ig. 3, a section lalong line 3 3 of Fig. 1, with the interlockingconnection 0n the center bricks shown, in elevation.

In the art to which the present invention relates, there is now known atype of battle Y or arch used in conjunction with locomotive tire-boxeshaving two water tubes therein.

vrfhese arches are composed of center bricks The center bricks abutagainst one another and meet along the meand side bricks.

dial line or the tire-box and are arranged in inverted V-ormation. Itis' necessary to have some interlocking means for holding these centerbricks in abutting engagement, owing to the vibration of the locomotivewhen in operation and thev movements ofV is shown inconjunction with alocomotiveV tire-box, the inner walls 4: of which are illustrateddiagrammatically. Secured within the tire-box, and extending therein inthe usual manner, are water tubes 5. |The arch or battle is composed ofside bricks 6 and center bricks 7. The side bricks, as shown, are of theinclined type and are each formed with a groove 8 along one edge, whichrests against a water tube, and are formed at the opposite edge with aflat Jrace 9 adapted to abut against the side of the ire-boX` and have afull face engagement therewith.

The center bricks 7 are the portion of the structure to which thepresent invention relates. These bricks are similar in construction andeach is formed along one edge Vwith a groove 10, which is adapted toengage with the outer periphery of a water tube. The opposite edge orthe brick is formed with a hemispherical protuberance 11 adjacent oneend of the edge 12 of the brick; and adjacent the other end of the edge12 is formed a hemispherical depression 13.' As will be,v

brick abutting against the edge 12 ot thev other, and when sopositioned, the protuberance 11 on onebrick will set into the de--pression 13 on the other brick, and there is thus formed a Semi-ball andsocket joint adjacent each end of the abutting edges of the bricks,making an interlocking connection between the bricks` lt is impossibleinthe manufacture of a clay product such as these bricks are composedof, to maintain absolute accuracy in dimensions, and it is thereforenecessary that some leeway be given for inaccuracies. By means of theball and socket interlocking connection between the bricks, it isobvious that they can have considerable latitude as to dimensions andyet obtain a good interlocking engagement between the abutting edges ot'the bricks. rllhis is due to the rounded formation ot the protuberanceand depression, which allows an easy and smooth movement between thebricks, and this 4feature is further carried out by making thedepression larger than the protuberance to permit of play. v

lt also happens that the water tubes within the lire-box will in somecases become warped. Under such conditions the abutting edges ot thebricks will be placed in angular position to one another, asdifferentiated from extending parallel to one another and abutting closetogether, and when thrown thus out of parallel the abutting edges willbecome spaced apart for a portion of their distance which will weakenthe interlocking engagement between the bricks. By means of the ball andsocket joint of the present invention, the bricks are capable ofadjusting themselves to such position as may be necessary owing to awarping of the tubes, and at the saine time maintainingarm and eilicientinterlocking connection between the parts.

The present form of connection is an interchangeable one, allowing allbricks to be made of a single pattern and eliminating the use ot rightsand letts. Y

Furthermore, these bricks, being made of clay or similar refractorymaterial, are ot course more or less subject to breakage in shipping andother handling. ln the case of a tongue and groove formed along theabutting edges, the walls of the groove or the body oit the tongue arevery liable to become chipped and broken in shipping or other handling.ln the present invention, the hemispherical proturberance will withstanda large amount of rough handling without becoming broken, and the wallsof the socket, extending along only a very small portion of the lengthof the brick, are therefore unlikely to be broken out. The brick is thusmade strong and durable from the shipping and handling standpoint.

l claim:

l. A locomotive fire arch construction comprising bricks, each brickbeing formed along one edge to rest against a water tube, said brickswhen assembled having their opposite edges abutting against one anotherand forming an arch section ot inverted l!- iormation, means forinterlocking said abutting edges comprising a single hemi-sphericalprotuberance adjacent one extremity of the abutting surface of eachbrick, and a single heini-spherical socket adjacent the oppositeextremity of said surface, the size of said socket being relativelysmall compared to the area ot the surface on which it is disposedthereby avoiding the cutting away ot any substantial portion of the edgeof the brick, the said protuberance on each brick fitting into thesocket on the abut-ting brick whereby a joint ot a ball andvsocketnature is formed adjacent each end of the abutting edges of saidbricks, and said sockets being oit greater size than the saidprotuberances to allow oi relative movement between the sections andpermit tree compensation tor expansion and contraction, substantially asdescribed.

2. ln an arch construction, the combination with a plurality ot supportsof bricks the ends ot which are grooved to engage said supports. theadjacent ends oi which are in contact to Yform an arch, said bricksbeing of duplicate form and each of said ends being provided with aheini-spherical protuberance and a heini-spherical socket, the socketbeing ot a size materially largerl than the protuberance in order toprovide for limited -freedom of movement ol the abutting ends ot thebricks, substantially as described.

3. ln an arch construction, the combination with a pair of arch tubes oftwo rows ot' bricks abutting in pairs, the bricks ot each row beinggrooved to engage an arch tube, the combined width ot the two rows ofbricks being greater than the distance between the two tubes whereby thebricks comprising the row are held in position by gravity, the abuttingsurfaces ot' each pair ot bricks in said rows being provided each with ahemispherical projection, and a heini-spherical recess, the recess beingot greater diameter than the projection said projections` and recessesbeing adapted to cooperate when the bricks are placed in end to endrelation, the greater size or the recesses permitting limited relativemovement between cooperating bricks, substantially as described.

l. ln an arch construction, the combination with a plurality ofsupports, of bricks having ends formed to engage said supports andhaving adjacent ends in contact to form an arch, said bricks beingduplicate in form and each ot said adjacent ends being provided with ahemispherical protuberanceand a hemispherical socket forming ball andsocket joints between said adjacent ends, substantially as described.

l/VlLLlAll/l SCHUTTLER.

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